Engineering professor creates scholarship in brother’s memory

Mechanical engineering professor Eric Jordan and his family have pledged more than $25,000 to establish a new undergraduate scholarship in the School of Engineering in honor of Jordan's older brother, Allan.

They conceived of the scholarship, named the Lieutenant Allan Jordan Veterans Scholarship, as a way to honor and assist military veterans in securing a college education.

A U.S. Marine, Allan Jordan was killed in Vietnam in 1968 at the age of 25.

In establishing the scholarship, Jordan said, "People involved with veterans' issues have strong feelings, for obvious reasons, and to us it is surprising that there are so few of these types of scholarships available. It is a privilege for me to be able to help such deserving individuals to get a UConn engineering education. For individuals who make these sacrifices, no reward is more valuable."

The scholarship will be awarded to a full-time undergraduate student who qualifies for admission, and will be selected among veterans based on level of sacrifice.

Allan Jordan died in a mission to save Marines pinned down in an ambush. He crossed open ground raked by small arms fire to reach an observation hill, where he successfully spotted artillery fire that broke up the ambush, thus saving many fellow Marines.

At the very end of this mission, he was killed by mortar fire. He was posthumously awarded a Bronze Star for heroism.

A graduate of Union College, Allan Jordan was an outdoor enthusiast who particularly enjoyed challenging hikes throughout New England. He also played the drums.

For the Jordans, UConn is a family affair.